Wearing Grey Instead of Black
by maddizoe
Summary: What would happen if Tobias and Tris both stayed in Abnegation?
1. Chapter 1

It's the day of the choosing ceremony. I ponder in my head for a while wondering what I am going to do. I can't choose Erudite, I know I can't. But will I choose Dauntless, or will I stay here in Abnegation? If I choose Abnegation that would be for my family, and that would prove to myself that I belong here, because it would be a selfless act. Still, the aptitude test showed that I do show traits of Abnegation.  
'Hey Beatrice,' someone calls out as I start to walk towards the Hub.  
'Hey Tobias,' I say as he strolls up beside me. He's tall, with dark hair and dark blue eyes. He looks strong, but he tries to cover that up with his grey abnegation clothes. He lives up the road to us, and our fathers work together, so we've spent a lot of time together the past few years, even though he is a couple of years older, so he already has his place in this faction.  
'You on your way to the ceremony?' he asks.  
'Yeah duty calls,' I joke. 'What about you?'  
'Yeah, as usual, following my father,' he tells me, flatly.  
'Do you want to follow your father?' I ask. He never seems happy when he talks about his Dad, Marcus. But Marcus is the leader of Abnegation and Tobias will surely become a leader too.  
'You can't ask questions like that,' he says, and then speeds up to join the group of council members at the front of the group. He keeps his head low, watching the ground as he walks. Something about his relationship with his father doesn't seem right.  
We walk all together, all our steps in time with each other, like an army, but without weapons or the will to fight.  
'He's a stubborn one sometimes,' says Caleb, my brother, walking up behind me. 'But he's as selfless as they come.'  
'Yeah,' I say in a daze, watching Tobias walk by his father. 'He seems too selfless.'


	2. Chapter 2

I sit beside Caleb in the choosing ceremony. I watch Tobias as he beside his father who stands at the podium. He keeps his head down, but not so far down that he would be staring at his feet, he's just not making eye contact, but I watch him.

Everyone who must choose their faction, which is all the 16 year olds, stand in a circle around the centre of the room. In the middle of the room are 5 large bowls, each representing a faction.

I feel my hands start to tense up, and my stomach feels queasy. Nerves. I hear in my head the words that Tori spoke to me in the aptitude test.

'Divergent... Divergence is extremely dangerous.'

I will not choose Erudite, for they like to turn the factions against each other, even turn us against each other within factions. They like to target the Abnegation leaders because they are also leaders of the whole city, due to the fact that they can think selflessly. Although the Erudite believe this is not what is best. No, I will not choose Erudite.

So then the choice stands between Abnegation and Dauntless. Between my family and freedom.

Faction before blood.

But you have to choose your faction first.

It is Caleb's turn before mine.

He makes his way to the bowls, and Marcus hands him the knife. Caleb looks confident and steady as he presses the knife into his other hand. Then the choice. He holds his hand out, his blood dripping over the water for Erudite. A transfer. Caleb, my selfless brother is transferring to Erudite. The room is disturbed for a few moments, mutters, cries and shouts from Abnegation and smug looks from Erudite. I shudder.

Marcus quiets the room and then my name is called.

Caleb is leaving my parents, leaving me.

I know what I have to do, and it will prove where I belong to start.

Trembling, I take the knife from Marcus and hold it to my hand. I stare at the bowls. Grey stones slightly behind me, and the lit embers of coals slightly in front of me. The coals catch my gaze, drawing me in, into the freedom of the Dauntless. I look up and see the disappointed look on my father's face, the sadness in my mother's eyes. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, holding my hand out to the left.

My blood drips down onto the grey stones.


	3. Chapter 3

I stand with the other Abnegation born initiates, next to Susan, who has a crush on Caleb. I thought they would grow old together. I thought that Caleb would stay and I would leave and he and Susan would get married and have a family and live a selfless life together.  
After the last girl chooses Amity we are allowed to go. I look over at Caleb standing with the Erudite, and he stands talking to another initiate, a smile on his face. I look over at my parents and see my father's proud eyes looking back at me.  
All the other factions leave before us and then we are left to clear up. We gather around the outside of the circle again while Tobias stands at the podium.  
'I will be one of the people to lead you through your initiation,' he explains. 'Mary, Angela, and Matthew will be the other three to help.' He indicates to his left at the three people. 'We are here to help.'  
One of the girls, Mary, walks up to the podium as Tobias stands aside. 'The abnegation born initiates and the transfers will work together to help the community. You will live in the initiation quarters in town. Firstly you will help to tidy up in here before we go back.'  
They all step down and start to help clear away the chairs. The initiates follow suit. I start collecting chairs behind me. I breath a sigh of relief. I haven't ventured into the unknown, I feel safe. I am used to helping to tidy up.  
Susan sticks by my side, collecting chairs, but staying quiet. We take the chairs to the storage room and stack them neatly. Then we help to clean out the bowls, and carry them, as a team, to the storage area too. The bowls are heavy and it takes three or four of us to each bowl to carry it safely.  
'He didn't leave to leave you,' I say to Susan, thinking back to the books I caught a glimpse of in Caleb's room. 'I could tell he liked you too.'  
Susan smiles at me and then turns away again. I hear a sniff. I bow my head, maybe I made it worse.  
'Beatrice,' I hear my fathers voice. 'Talking makes us slower.'  
I nod quietly.  
They tend to never kick anyone out of the initiation for abnegation, they are too selfless to force anyone to be factionless. So I guess this is the safest place for me. The safest place for a divergent.


End file.
